Ranking the top courses in England and Wales for the ultimate raceday experience: Official verdict revealed by Racing Post

The 2023 Quality Assured Racecourse Scheme has revealed the best raceday experiences in England and Wales. Grade 1 tracks such as Aintree, Newbury, and York have been recognized as the top venues. In Scotland, Ayr, Hamilton, and Musselburgh have retained their five-star visitor attraction ratings. Trained assessors from VisitEngland or VisitScotland analyze each course to provide an objective assessment of the customer experience they offer.

Ludlow saw the biggest improvement in 2023, increasing its score by 19 percentage points. General manager Simon Sherwood expressed his delight at the news, highlighting Ludlow’s reputation for timeliness in races. He emphasized the importance of attention to detail, such as greeting people in the car park, and the efforts made to refurbish the restaurants and provide good value and quality food offerings.

Beverley, Chester, Haydock, Newmarket (Rowley Mile), and Salisbury completed the top ten list in England and Wales. The average scores for all courses increased by five percentage points. Simon Numphud, managing director of AA Media Limited, which facilitates the racecourse assessments, praised the consistent high level of the raceday experience across the assessed courses. He commended the teams at racecourses for their focus on customer experience and delivering a fantastic day out.

Rob Dickson, director of industry and destination development at VisitScotland, congratulated the Scottish racecourses for their RCA Excellence accolades. He praised their commitment to exceptional standards in tourism.

In addition to the official verdict on the best racecourses, the Racing Post provides the best offers all in one place.